The present invention relates to narcotics addiction, and particularly to treatments for easing the physical and emotional symptoms attendant upon narcotics withdrawal.
Narcotics addiction is the unfortunate result not only of drug abuse but also of a variety of human hardship situations, severely reducing the quality of life of those addicted as well as their ability to contribute to society. One of the best known treatments is the use of methadone hydrochloride as a substitute for the narcotic during withdrawal. Unfortunately, the physical discomfort and emotional unrest normally associated with the drug originally giving rise to the addiction has been found to recur upon discontinuing the administration of methadone. In addition, it has been found that the volume of methadone required to overcome the withdrawal symptoms arising from the original drug gradually increases as a patient continues to use the methadone, as does the tendency to become addicted to methadone itself.